In Medias Res
by Suspicious Popsicle
Summary: Yuri throws a party after finals. Flynn reminisces. Yuri gets pleasantly buzzed. AU from the College Town set. Fluri.
1. Part 1

A/N: I tried writing a nested story for this one. I wanted to do that for Yuri's half as well, but it sort of wrapped itself up neatly without giving me a real opening for what I'd wanted to put there…which I guess is okay since I would have had to abridge that part to post here anyways, so that saves me some trouble.

This is another story from the College Town set I've been working on, which is entirely unrelated to the high school AU. Plot bunnies and snippets of backstory keep popping up for this set, so expect more.

Also, I finally noticed last night that the 'general' tag under genre isn't actually a category you can choose. Every time one of my fics shows up categorized as romance, it's because I meant it to say General/Romance and just didn't know would ignore that first one. It's hard to categorize the damn things. They aren't really all that romantic, though there are some elements of that. :/ Oh, well. Whatever.

Disclaimer: The characters in this story are from _Tales of Vesperia_ and do not belong to me.

* * *

Yuri's little end of finals party was in full swing by the time Flynn got home. Of course, given that their apartment could be generously referred to as 'cozy,' it wasn't a particularly big party. There were less than ten people filling up the living room, only half of which Flynn knew by name. Estelle was the first to notice his arrival and made her way over to greet him.

"Welcome home. Thank you for letting us use your apartment."

"Flynn!" From his seat on the couch, Yuri raised his beer in greeting and called out over the small crowd. "We've got one more finished with the semester! Someone pass him a drink!"

There was a brief chorus of cheers and a stranger offered Flynn a beer from the cooler next to the couch. He accepted, more to be polite than out of any inclination to begin drinking at—he checked his watch—just after four in the afternoon. As soon as he could slip past, he was on his way to his room to put away his books. He would join the party in a few minutes, but first he wanted to sit down and take a breath away from the chattering group of strangers that Yuri had invited into their home.

Passing by the couch, Flynn noticed the girl sitting beside Yuri, noticed the little mole at the corner of her jaw line and the way she was running her hand casually through Yuri's hair, and he realized he knew that girl, or at least recognized her. He'd seen her several times before, but had first taken notice of her at another party Yuri had hosted almost two years ago. She'd been playing with Yuri's hair that day, too, perched on the couch behind him while he sat on the floor, jerking the controller back and forth as he raced a couple friends along Rainbow Road. He'd never even seemed to realize the girl was behind him, and Flynn had watched in growing frustration as she touched Yuri so casually when he couldn't work up the nerve. That had been the night he'd finally gotten up the courage to ask Yuri out, though of course, things hadn't gone the way he'd expected. Yuri had a way of throwing a wrench into Flynn's plans no matter what he did.

Smiling at the memory, Flynn began unpacking his book bag. It was sort of funny now, but back then, he'd found himself in the miserable position of having developed feelings for his apparently asexual roommate. He had known Yuri since they were in kindergarten together, and had never seen him express anything more than friendship for anyone. That had never been a problem until after they decided to get an apartment together after high school and Flynn discovered that, while Yuri may not be interested in dating, Flynn was developing an interest in him.

It started with little things. He found himself wandering into the kitchen when Yuri was cooking despite being repeatedly chased out. He got distracted during their matches in the judo class they took together and wound up losing more often than he should have because his focus was on the warmth of Yuri's body rather than the appropriate counter to the move he was using. He began catching himself staring at Yuri: at the way the sunset burnished his hair, or the way he twirled his pencil around his fingers when he concentrated on homework, or the way he smiled when he enjoyed his favorite desserts.

Intellectually, he'd always known that Yuri was attractive. People had said as much before. Girls had pressed Flynn for information about whether Yuri was seeing anyone, what his favorite foods were, what kind of girl he liked, but Yuri had always seemed sort of careless with his looks and Flynn had never given it much thought. After they moved in together, though, he began to notice Yuri in ways he hadn't before. He'd known Yuri was strong, but now he saw that he was graceful, too. He knew Yuri had gray eyes, but he started paying more attention to how anger made them flash and amusement made them sparkle, how they darkened with his bad moods and dulled when he was sleepy, and how they could focus so completely on Flynn at times that he felt sure Yuri could read his mind. He knew Yuri could act cool and aloof when it suited him, but he realized how warm it felt to be near him, even if all they were doing was watching TV together.

He started finding more and more excuses to be near Yuri, to touch him. He helped clean the kitchen, the only room in their apartment that Yuri kept spotless. He began insisting on going along to the grocery store, even though Yuri put back half of what Flynn picked up in favor of something fresher or less expensive or a different brand. He sat closer when they shared the couch, jostled him more often when they played games, snagged the seat next to him when they went out with Yuri's friends. One time when Yuri had a job interview scheduled, Flynn must have spent a good ten minutes helping to pull back his hair into a nice ponytail and straightening his shirt and tie. Then, after Yuri had left, he couldn't stop fantasizing about undoing all of it: running his fingers through Yuri's hair as he let it down, loosening that tie and feeling it slip free from under the collar, popping open the buttons of his shirt one by one.

That was the day Flynn had realized that he couldn't just keep quiet and hope that things went back to normal. He knew he would have to face Yuri and confess because even the little things were getting to him and they lived in too close quarters for Yuri to stay ignorant for long.

So, he'd worried over what to say and how and when. He started looking at single bedroom apartments nearer to his college, as well, since he wasn't sure how Yuri, who had never expressed any romantic interest in another person before, would take to hearing that his roommate was harboring a growing attraction toward him. Flynn hoped he could manage to salvage their friendship at least, but he couldn't really blame Yuri if the news made him too uncomfortable to share an apartment.

With that uncertainty hanging over him, he'd stalled and reconsidered and put it off until that night Yuri had invited a group of friends over. When Flynn had seen that girl running her fingers through Yuri's hair, he'd never been so jealous of someone in his entire life. That night, he'd waited in his room until he was absolutely sure all of Yuri's friends had left. When he ventured back out into the living room, Yuri was alone, sitting on the edge of the couch, playing a video game.

"We need to talk."

Something about the words or his tone of voice must have gotten through, because Yuri actually glanced up at him briefly before going back to his game.

"I haven't done anything recently."

"This isn't about something you've done. It's me."

At that, Yuri had paused the game and set aside his controller. Flynn almost had time to think that he was actually going to be serious before Yuri smirked.

"Flynn, are you breaking up with me?"

Of all the stupid remarks he could have made…. Well, Flynn had forged ahead through worse and he'd made up his mind to get this over with, one way or another.

"I have to tell you something. It's…this isn't easy for me to say. Since we moved in together it's gotten—I mean, I've noticed it more, so I don't feel I can just keep quiet about it. And if you want to move out—"

"Spit it out, already. I'm in the middle of a boss fight."

For a moment, Flynn had just stared and fought back the urge to shout at him for being, well, _Yuri_. It wouldn't have helped. It never did, and the real problem was that, no matter how irritating or messy or contrary Yuri could be, Flynn still _liked_ him. He'd always liked Yuri, but that feeling had grown way past fondness for a friend, enough so that Flynn couldn't ignore it any longer. It wasn't fair to him, and it wasn't fair to Yuri, living under the same roof with no idea how Flynn felt about him. So he had to tell Yuri, to spell it out in three little words that contained the power to absolutely shatter their relationship if he'd misjudged Yuri's tolerance of all things romantic.

"I like you."

Yuri's expression hadn't changed. He didn't look bothered or disgusted, which was good, but he didn't look happy, either, which left Flynn wishing desperately that he could take it back and have things be the way they'd always been between the two of them, before the thought of Yuri showering one room away was enough to make Flynn need a cold shower of his own.

As Flynn had stood there, fidgeting with the cuffs of his sleeves, Yuri studied him, cocking his head to the side and setting a lock of his hair slipping over his shoulder. Flynn wanted to tuck it back behind his ear. He wanted any excuse to touch Yuri. How had it taken him so long to notice Yuri this way? Some days, it seemed to be all he thought about.

"So…was that your big announcement, or were you using it to soften the blow for whatever you really want to say?"

Now he had to explain? Yuri had to be doing this on purpose. There was no way he was that dense.

"When I said I like you, I meant—"

"I know what you meant. You wanna go out?"

"I—what?" Something had gone wrong or maybe right or possibly sideways.

Looking entirely too amused, Yuri leaned back against the cushions. "Do you want to go out with me?"

Yuri had asked the question slowly and carefully, mocking, but Flynn wasn't sure which part was the joke. He had been prepared for rejection, he'd even been prepared for Yuri to move out. He had barely allowed himself to hope that things would work out in his favor. He had not considered that Yuri would wind up asking him out.

"You want to go out with me?"

"Why so surprised? That's what you wanted to ask me, right?"

"Yes. Well, no. I mean, if you felt the same, sure. Do you?"

"Do I what?"

"_Yuri_."

He laughed. "Would I have asked you out if I didn't?"

Probably not, but…. "That isn't really an answer."

Rolling his eyes, Yuri leaned forward and beckoned Flynn closer. "Come here."

The second Flynn was within reach, Yuri grabbed the front of his shirt, yanked him in close, and pressed their lips together.

The shock of it froze Flynn for a few seconds until his brain kicked in again and informed him that: yes, Yuri was kissing him; so far, it wasn't really much of a kiss; and that, if Yuri was only joking around, he'd better make the most of it before he was forced to kill him.

Steadying himself with a hand on the back of the couch, Flynn leaned in a little closer, tilting his chin and parting his lips a bit, changing the press of mouths to an actual kiss. Surprisingly, Yuri let him take the lead, mimicking Flynn's movements at first until he started to get comfortable with what was happening between them.

It really was his first kiss, Flynn realized, and the unexpected sweetness of being the first person to touch Yuri like that filled him up, made him feel warm and excited and a little dizzy, fizzy, like the time he'd had too much champagne on New Year's. He pulled back a little, grinning, and ran a hand through Yuri's hair, tucking that errant lock back behind his ear. Yuri was smiling too, crookedly, and it thrilled Flynn because that wasn't a ha-ha-just-kidding look, or an oh-that-was-a-mistake look. He pulled Yuri to him, palms against those flushed cheeks—he'd made Yuri blush!—fingers threading through that long hair, and kissed him again, boldly this time, parting Yuri lips with his tongue and teaching him by example what it was to kiss someone.

Eventually, they broke apart because Flynn was getting a crick in his neck. For all that he was still noticeably pinker than usual, Yuri somehow managed to look collected.

"Huh. So that's why people like doing that." He licked his lips and, again, Flynn felt unfairly tested. "Why'd you stop?"

"That's a good question."

His thoughts were rushing madly through his mind, slipping away as soon as he tried to focus. He was wary of moving too fast, of what might have happened if he had pressed Yuri back into the couch and followed him down, caught up in the moment when he didn't really have a clear idea of how to proceed much further. Back in high school, Flynn had dated a girl named Sodia for a couple of years, but they'd never gone much past kissing and, while it gave him a little bit of experience that Yuri didn't have, it hadn't really prepared him to pursue this change in their relationship. He sank to his knees on the floor, resting the tips of his fingers on the couch to either side of Yuri's legs and smiling as Yuri leaned in for one more kiss.

Things had gone extremely well, so well that he still thought he might have misunderstood somehow, that things couldn't have wrapped up that neatly.

"So…are we dating?"

Yuri laughed, and his nose bumped against Flynn's. "Well, if you'd rather, there's this thing called 'friends with bene—'"

"No. Dating is fine. Dating is good."

And it had been, it was. It was wonderful, if occasionally infuriating, but that part was probably to be expected in any relationship with Yuri. Being with him was nothing like the two years Flynn had dated Sodia and, as he picked up his beer and joined the party in the living room, Flynn couldn't help smiling about how lucky he really was.


	2. Part 2

Disclaimer: The characters in this story are from _Tales of Vesperia_ and do not belong to me.

* * *

With the semester finally over, Yuri was looking forward to relaxing for a couple of weeks. His third shift job and the class he taught at the Y would still be continuing, but at least he wouldn't have to worry about projects and papers and dealing with his slackass coworker at the campus coffee shop for a while.

The girl who had been sitting beside him ran her fingers through his hair again which was getting distracting. With most of his attention on the game, he kept thinking she was Flynn, and he would remember just in time not to lean into the touch. Still, it was dividing his focus and he realized his disadvantage when he ran straight over a banana peel and Judy raced ahead to the finish line. With a groan, he passed the controller to the next challenger and was about to ask the girl to back off when Flynn came walking in. He hurried around the table as the next race was getting started, and sank onto the couch beside Yuri, brushing a hand tenderly over his hair as he did.

The gesture caught Yuri by surprise, more because of the audience than the affection behind it, but he gathered himself quickly and tried not to smirk. If Flynn didn't mind others finding out, then Yuri was perfectly happy upping the ante. He tilted his chin up, practically daring Flynn to kiss him.

Flynn took the dare. The brush of lips was chaste and very brief, probably the least passionate kiss they'd exchanged since their very first when Yuri'd had no clue what he was meant to be doing, but it left Flynn blushing pink as Estelle's hair when he pulled back, smiling.

The girl to Yuri's other side didn't touch his hair again.

Their little PDA stirred up some surprise and curiosity of course, enough to pull Estelle to Flynn's side to pepper them with questions while Judy used the distraction to cream her opponent. Everyone settled down pretty quickly, though, and let it go like Yuri knew they would. He didn't deal well with people who would have reacted badly to that sort of thing, and wouldn't have invited anyone like that into his home, much less his life. It was a pity Flynn still associated with his old girlfriend. She always had some sort of cutting remark to make about Yuri behind Flynn's back. One of these days, Yuri was going to let slip about the change in his and Flynn's relationship just to watch her head explode.

The afternoon wore on into evening filled with easy conversation and laughter, games and trash talk and cheering. Yuri's friends had brought drinks and snacks and everyone chipped in for pizza, but Yuri capped off the evening with homemade crepes. By the time everyone was leaving, he was half expecting a few of the girls to start showing up at his cooking class. After the last goodbye, he was left tired and pleasantly buzzed, and feeling pretty good about life in general.

Flynn was standing in front of the couch, bent over their coffee table to collect the assortment of beer bottles and plastic cups that had been left behind. Yuri shoved him back onto the couch and dropped down after him to use his lap as a pillow. As traps went, this one was pretty effective. Flynn wouldn't move when he thought Yuri was being affectionate. After a couple seconds, he let the trash bag he'd been holding sink to the floor and a moment later Yuri felt fingers stroking back his hair.

"Enjoy your party?"

"You sure seemed to. Good to see you can loosen up once in a while."

Flynn laughed softly and let his fingers trail from Yuri's temple, around his ear, and down along his jaw. Yuri felt the tickle of fingertips slide beneath his chin and around to the back of his neck as Flynn gathered his hair and pulled it back.

"Who was the girl that sat beside you earlier?"

"Hm? Oh, Sunny? I know her from school."

"Are you two close?"

"Not really. Why?"

"Just curious."

They lapsed into silence and Yuri let himself relax into the moment. Since his grandmother had died more than ten years ago, Yuri had very rarely felt at home anywhere. Flynn, for all that he could be a stubborn idiot and a goody-goody, was the only person Yuri ever felt so comfortable with. Flynn had known him since before he went into the foster program, so he'd seen Yuri at his best and, once, when there was nowhere else for Yuri to go, at his worst. Flynn could be naïve, the two of them argued and fought and sometimes Yuri still hid from him, but there was no one else he trusted more, no one else who could make him feel safe the way Flynn did. Flynn was strong and he was faithful and, as often as Yuri tested him and his patience, he never seemed to reach a breaking point. On his bad days, Yuri wondered what it would take to sever their bond.

This hadn't been a bad day, though, far from it, and Yuri sighed contentedly as Flynn continued petting his hair. That had been an unexpected benefit of letting his hair grow out. It felt really nice having someone finger-comb his hair, and Flynn seemed to enjoy doing so even more than Sunny with her obsession with long hair.

He was just drifting off when Flynn leaned over him to murmur in his ear: "You'll wake up with a sore neck if you fall asleep here."

"Mm." Rolling onto his back, he looked up into Flynn's face and couldn't help but return his smile. "What put you in such a good mood?"

"Just remembering." His palm cupped Yuri's cheek, fingers stroking his temple, and he bent close again to bring their lips together.

Flynn still tasted a little like the pineapple from his crepe, and Yuri licked his lips when he pulled away. "Why'd you stop?"

Something about that started Flynn laughing, his whole body shaking from it until Yuri sat up, a little annoyed by the mystifying reaction and the loss of the calm he'd sunk into.

"What's so funny?"

His laughter had slowed, but not stopped completely as he said: "I love you."

Yuri could tell that the words had just slipped out, that Flynn hadn't really meant to say them, whether they were true or not. Still, he felt frozen as he watched the smile fade from Flynn's face into shock and then seriousness. His brilliant blue eyes were still too bright, and he slowly, slowly reached out and pulled Yuri close to him.

The kiss wasn't anything like that quick peck during the party. It wasn't soft like the one they'd shared only a minute before. This kiss was desire and devotion and the truth behind the words that Flynn had voiced so carelessly and now didn't seem to care to take back.

Words. Words didn't mean a thing. Yuri had seen enough lies and deceit to know that people could say anything they wanted. What really mattered were people's actions. If Flynn was trying to prove something with a kiss, then that shy little touch of lips in front of a room full of people he barely knew had been way more telling.

"I'm not taking it back," Flynn murmured. He nuzzled beneath Yuri's jaw, forcing his chin up to leave a trail of lingering kisses down his neck.

"Who's asking you to?"

Flynn's head snapped up so fast that his chin clipped Yuri's. He studied him, searching for something in Yuri's face, as he stumbled over his words.

"You don't…. I mean, I thought…." He sighed. "You didn't look particularly happy to hear that."

"It's no big deal. They're just words."

"Not those words. Those are important. I meant it, Yuri. Maybe I didn't mean to say it, but I meant it. It's the truth."

"I know."

"Then why—"

"I love your cooking."

Confusion creased Flynn's brow. "No, you don't. Why would you say that?"

"Just trying to prove a point. Words don't mean anything. People should be judged by what they do, not what they say."

"I told you I love you, and all you can say is that words are meaningless?"

"You're missing the point. Look, why'd you kiss me in front of everybody earlier?"

"I thought you wanted me to!"

"Yeah, but why did you _kiss_ me? Why did you touch my hair like that?"

"Because I…." He was blushing, which was amusing as hell. "Are you really going to make me say it again?"

"You don't need to. That's what I'm trying to tell you." He slipped his fingers through Flynn's hair and bumped their foreheads together lightly. "You've shown me plenty of times."

"Oh." Comprehension was a beautiful thing. Now that Flynn had finally gotten the point, maybe they could forget talking and go back to doing.

"So…since you wanted me to kiss you in front of everyone, that means—"

"Don't read too much into it," he cautioned, but Flynn was grinning, and Yuri knew it was already too late.

"You love me."

"I'd like to see you prove it."

"According to you, actions matter, which means you're the one to prove it."

"Well, there's still some interpretation for—"

"Why do you cook for me?"

"I like to cook." He couldn't look Flynn in the eyes, though, and he could feel his face heating up. Fuck. He never should have tried to explain. He should have just let Flynn stay in the dark about it all.

Luckily, Flynn took pity on him and closed the tiny distance that still separated them. As they kissed, Yuri knew that it didn't matter what was said, not because he didn't believe Flynn, but because he knew what they had between them and he didn't need it spelled out in something as simple as words.


End file.
